October 2, 9:00 – 10:30 a.m.
Session Description
In this opening session, ROI will share stories of success, highlighting innovative strategies driving sector growth and outcomes in education, workforce, and quality of place across the region. A panel will also share their perspectives on trends impacting the life sciences, advanced manufacturing, and the national security and defense industry sectors in the Indiana Uplands.
Session Presenters
Tina Peterson is the President and CEO of Regional Opportunity Initiatives (ROI), a position she has held since the organization’s founding in 2015. In her role, Tina works collaboratively with regional, state, and national organizations to advance economic and community prosperity across the Indiana Uplands, an 11-county region in southwest central Indiana. Through regionally relevant and demand-driven initiatives, ROI focuses on industry cluster strategies, education, workforce, and quality of place as essential determinants for regional success.
Since 2011, Tina Peterson has also served as President and CEO of the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County, an organization powered by giving and committed to addressing the community’s most pressing challenges and compelling opportunities. In addition to serving as a reputable and innovative grantmaker, the Community Foundation works with its partners to incubate and accelerate forward-looking strategies for community development. Recent examples include Heading Home, CDFI Friendly Bloomington, Impact Investing, and Monroe Smart Start.
Tina currently serves as a member or an advisor on several state and national boards, including the Applied Research Institute, Inc., the Uplands Science and Technology Foundation, the Community Advisory Board for the St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank, Radius Indiana, White River Military Coordination Alliance, Crane Regional Defense Group, Indiana Philanthropy Alliance, and Indiana University Ventures, among others.
Pat Adams is Vice President of Expansion Operations for Simtra BioPharma Solutions, a sterile injectable contract development and manufacturing organization with growing roots in the Indiana Uplands. In May 2026, he was promoted to Vice President of Expansion Operations, where he oversees key initiatives supporting Simtra’s continued investment in the region. Since joining Simtra in October 2023 as General Manager and Plant Manager of the Bloomington facility, Adams has helped lead the site’s growth and strategic expansion efforts.
Adams brings nearly 20 years of experience in pharmaceutical manufacturing and operations leadership. Prior to joining Simtra, he held leadership positions with Baxter International Inc. and served as Senior Director of Operations for Catalent Pharma Solutions. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Operations and a Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Management from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business.
Today, he helps lead Simtra’s $250 million expansion project in Monroe County, which is expected to create approximately 130 new jobs in the Indiana Uplands. READI 2.0 funding is helping support the expansion through investments in critical public sewer infrastructure upgrades.
Carl Holmberg serves as Engineering Manager at General Motors’ Bedford Casting Operations, where he helps lead engineering, manufacturing innovation, and quality initiatives at one of GM’s largest aluminum casting facilities. Based in Bedford, Indiana, Holmberg has dedicated more than four decades to General Motors, building extensive expertise in casting technology, advanced manufacturing processes, and operational excellence since joining the company in 1985.
In his current role, Holmberg oversees engineering efforts that support the production of critical components including transmission cases, engine blocks, structural components, and electric vehicle drive unit housings.
Under Holmberg’s leadership, Bedford Casting Operations has become a leader in the use of industrial computed tomography (CT) scanning for quality assurance. The facility’s innovative approach allows engineers to examine cast components in three dimensions, identify potential defects more quickly, and make smarter manufacturing decisions while reducing waste. Bedford’s CT scanning program has become a benchmark for other GM facilities, providing quality analysis and technical support across the company.
Brooke Pyne is Vice President of Indiana Programs & Partnerships for Kratos Defense and Security Solutions, where she leads strategic growth initiatives and strengthens partnerships among government, industry, academia, and community stakeholders across Indiana. Based in Crane, she focuses on workforce development, supply chain resilience, economic development, and advancing Indiana’s position as a hub for national defense innovation.
Pyne brings more than two decades of experience in defense, technology, innovation, and public-private partnership development. Prior to joining Kratos in 2025, she served as Senior Strategy and Growth Advisor at CACI International and as Executive Vice President of Innovation and Strategy for the Applied Research Institute (ARI), helping drive technology transition, ecosystem development, and strategic growth initiatives. She also served as Vice President of Technology Engagement for the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC).
Known for her expertise in defense innovation, strategic partnerships, and growth strategy, Pyne works to align public, private, and academic partners around initiatives that advance national security capabilities and regional competitiveness.